Conventional hydraulic pumps of the type that are fitted into a cavity in a valve block or cylinder head, for example, are typically constructed of a number of pump components which are clamped or otherwise fastened together by a plurality of bolts or other types of fasteners. In one application, such hydraulic pumps are mounted in a valve block and are used to supply hydraulic pressure selectively to one or a plurality of hydraulic cylinders or jacks. One of the problems associated with the conventional hydraulic pumps used for that purpose, as well as for other purposes, is the difficulty of reducing the size, cost and weight of the hydraulic pump below a certain minimum for the required hydraulic output pressure and volumetric flow output. Heretofore, the need to hold the pump components together with fasteners, such as bolts, to prevent leakage, for instance, has made it difficult to miniaturize this type of pump below a certain minimum size and weight.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide a hydraulic pump that can be securely held together without the use of fasteners, such as bolts, so as to minimize the size, weight and cost of the pump, yet that would still be provided with the clamping force necessary to hold the pump components together in a leak-tight manner.